To save the city, Rachel Morgan will need to show some teeth in the next Hollows novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison.

The new master vampire of Cincinnati has arrived . . . and she wants Rachel Morgan out. No matter where Rachel goes, Constance is there–threatening Rachel’s allies, causing city-wide chaos, and, to add insult to injury, even forcing Rachel out of her current quarters. Ever since Rachel found a way to save the souls of vampires, the old undead’s longtime ascendancy has been broken. Now Constance sees eliminating Rachel as the key to consolidating her own power.

Rachel has no desire to be enthralled or killed–and she’s terrified of what may become of the city if Constance forces a return to the ancient ways. But even a witch-born demon can’t stand against the old undead–at least, not alone. And if Rachel refuses to claim the role of Cincinnati’s master demon, the city will tear itself apart, taking her and all those who stand beside her with it.

Every novel that Kim Harrison writes of The Hollows always pulls me in immediately. Book 15 is no exception. One can wonder how Kim Harrison manages to keep such a long running series from growing stale, remaining fresh and fun and there are several reasons. First and foremost is the way she continually builds and ups the stakes from the previous novels. Just when you think Rachel Morgan might get a break, you find out differently. In this novel, Rachel must embrace her ability to bring groups together as she battles Constance for the city. Constance has no intention of playing peacefully and Rachel must find a way to stand against her. As Cincinnati’s master demon, or at least the only demon willing to stand up for the city, she must find an answer. 

The other reason the novel is so enthralling are the characters. Rachel is engaging, funny, and authentic. She has flaws, she isn’t all powerful, and she isn’t always willing to fight as ruthlessly as others. But her willingness to embrace others, to work with various groups, and build friendships, is what is her greatest strength. And she isn’t the only character who you want more from. Every character, Jenks, Trent, and even new characters, like Constance’s lieutenant Pike, are authentic and well rounded with backgrounds, weaknesses, and strengths of their own. Because of that, all of them are engaging and have a purpose in the story, to the plot and to the solution to the problems, even Constance herself as the antagonist. 

That truly is the final element that makes the story so successful, how well she builds the plot. Every detail is important, if not to this story, then to the next novel. Everything builds toward the conclusion or helps the characters grow, in particular Rachel. Each book Rachel learns new lessons, builds new connections, and finds new skills. All of those details make the story and the series engrossing and full of depth, not to be missed. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 tenants.